Gypsophila plant named ‘ESM Chispa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gypsophila  plant named ‘Esm Chispa’, characterized by its compact and mounding growth habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; small semi-double white-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gypsophila hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Chispa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gypsophila plant, botanically known as Gypsophila hybrida, grown commercially as a cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Esm Chispa’.

The new Gypsophila is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering pot-type Gypsophila cultivars.

The new Gypsophila originated from an open-pollination made by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in August, 2001 of a proprietary selection of Gypsophila hybrida identified as Line 34, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Gypsophila hybrida. The cultivar Esm Chispa was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gypsophila by cuttings in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador since October, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Gypsophila are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Esm Chispa has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Chispa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Esm Chispa’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Gypsophila:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding growth habit.     -   2. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Small semi-double white-colored flowers.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more compact than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Gypsophila can be compared to plants of the Gypsophila cultivar Dangypflash, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,422. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the cultivar Dangypflash in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter internodes than         plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   3. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter leaves than plants         of the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   4. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Gypsophila were longer-lasting         than plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Gypsophila. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gypsophila.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Esm Chispa’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Esm Chispa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador during the winter in containers in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial cut Gypsophila production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 11° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 11° C. Plants were pinched one time about five weeks after planting and were grown under long day/short day conditions. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical 15-week old flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Gypsophila hybrida cultivar Esm Chispa. -   Commercial classification: Pot-type Gypsophila. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila             hybrida identified as Line 34, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Gypsophila             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 16 to 21 days at 17° C. to 25°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About five to six weeks at             17° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, medium in thickness to thick; 162C             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial; compact and mounding growth habit;             inverted triangle form. Freely flowering; small             white-colored flowers arranged in symmetrical and moderately             dense compound cymes. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—After pinching, about eight lateral             branches develop.         -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 55 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 41 cm. Diameter: About             4.6 mm. Internode length: About 3.7 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Glabrescent. Color: 138A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 5.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 139A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 139A; venation, 139A. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 137A; venation, 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Symmetrical compound cymes             with numerous small white-colored flowers, flowers rotate.             Very freely flowering, about 5,200 flowers per             inflorescence. Flowers face mostly upright.         -   Flowering response.—In Ecuador, plants flower year round.             Plants begin flowering about 12 weeks after planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—On the plant, flowers last for             about three weeks. Flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 41 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 48 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Shape: Nearly globose. Color: N199A.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 25 arranged in             clusters. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:             Oval to spatulate. Apex: Truncate, emarginate or obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; waxy. Color: When opening and fully opening, upper             surface: Close to N155D; towards the base, close to 144A;             color becoming closer to 161B with development. When opening             and fully opening, lower surface: Close to N155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five to seven fused to             form a cup-shaped calyx. Length: About 2.8 mm. Width: About             1.2 mm. Shape: Roughly linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When developing, upper surface: 148A. When developing, lower             surface: N199A. Fully developed, upper and lower surfaces:             146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 49° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 138A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4.2 mm. Diameter: About 0.25 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 38° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Anther shape: Reniform to globose. Anther length: Less than             1 mm. Anther color: 155B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 5.3 mm. Style length: About 2.8 mm.             Style color: Close to 155D. Stigma shape: Curved apiculate.             Stigma color: Close to 155D. Ovary color: 143C; occasionally             towards the apex, 165A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit             production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Gypsophila. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have been observed     to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to     about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm Chispa’ as illustrated and described. 